Kate MacQueen

The thing in itself is in motion

instar

My name is a truth told slant. My father’s father was McQueen. My father wrote us MacQueen, named me Kathleen for his sister Catherine, Marie for his wife Mary. I was baptized rhyme.

                                                                                                 slipping

In childhood I was called Kathy. My best friend was Kathy so I wrote myself Kathi. Kathy’s boyfriend called us Kitty and Kate. I kept Kathi but lost MacQueen when I married. I took back MacQueen and adopted Kate when divorced. None disputed the truth of Kate when Kathi died.

inside

I acquired diplomas and became binomial, Kate in the day to day, Kathleen in the sphere of science. Each a doorway to wander through.

                                           out

I found two heart names, One Doe Leaping and Silverbird. Each a gateway only I pass through.

into

Another name? Likely. I am not done with life.

                                                                                                       moon moth

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About the Author

Kate MacQueen is a social scientist and poet living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Recent work has appeared in Rattle, Modern Haiku, The Heron’s Nest, Hedgerow, and anthologies including Haiku 2014 (Modern Haiku Press, 2014), Wishbone Moon (Jacar Press, 2018), Best Small Fictions 2022 (Sonder Press, 2022), and contemporary haibun 18 (Red Moon Press, 2023).

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